In 1750 John Cennick wrote a hymn beginning “Lo! He cometh, countless trumpets blow His bloody sign!” which was first published in his Collection of Sacred Hymns, 1752. It was in six stanzas and was used as a basis for the present hymn, most of which was written by Charles Wesley (1707-1788; see Biographies), and published in four stanzas in his Hymns of Intercession for All Mankind, 1758. Martin Madan used both Cennick’s and Wesley’s hymn and with some alterations produced a hymn of six stanzas that appeared in his Collection of Psalms and Hymns, 1760. Wesley’s first two stanzas are only slightly changed, but his third stanza is completely omitted.

SDAH’s third stanza has been altered again from Madan’s version, which had as its first line, “Ev’ry Island, sea, and mountain,” and as its fourth, “Hear the trump proclaim the day.”

John Cennick was born in Reading, Berkshire, England, on December 12, 1718. Of Quaker descent, he was brought up in the Church of England. He was a land surveyor, but after becoming acquainted with the Wesley brothers in 1739 he was appointed as a teacher in a school for the children of mine workers in Kingwood, Bristol, in 1740. He became a lay preacher but dissociated with Wesley very soon on doctrinal issues and joined George Whitefield until 1745. Then he joined the Moravian Church and was ordained as a deacon, working in Germany and in Northern Ireland. He published four volumes of hymns and two volumes of sermons. He died in London on July 4, 1755.

Martin Madan was born in 1726 at Hertingfordbury, near Hertford, in the county of the same name, in England. He trained for legal profession but underwent a through conversion and change of aim after hearing John Wesley preach on the text “Prepare to meet thy God.” He was ordained and became a popular preacher, and founded and became chaplain of the Lock Hospital, Hyde Park Corner, London. However, he gave up preaching after the publication of his book, which advocated polygamy. He published A Commentary on the Articles of the Church of England, other theological articles, and his Collection of Psalms and Hymns, which, although unsystematic, had a great influence on the hymnody of the Anglican Church. He died at Epsom Surrey, on May 2, 1790.

HOLYWOOD occurs in a compilation dated 1751, entitled Cantus Diversi (various songs), by John Francis Wade (c. 1711-1786; see SDAH 132). The tune ADESTE FIDELES, SDA 132, was also in this collection.

📖 Reference: Companion to the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal by Wayne Hooper and Edward E. White. Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1988.